turning transfers over

[orbion]

Hey guys just a quick question about transfers. Im doing some sally termies atm and want to put the marking on the right shoulder as all the left one have the termie markings already. Would the transfer still work if I used the side that was not on the paper? otherwise the sally face will be backwards. Any info on this would be great.

[Brother Valerius]

I believe that they have some sort of glue on the paper-facing side, so I would say no. I have no direct experience, however.

[Hemal]

It should work ok. might look a little odd though...

[winterdyne]

I'm in the 'no, probably won't work properly' camp here. You'd definitely have adhesion problems unless you use a trick like bedding the decal into wet gloss varnish and/or sealing on with varnish.

[Gurth]

It will and it won't work — simple as that :tu:

 

You can easily put transfers on upside-down, but as has been mentioned already, the glue is on the side that is normally toward the backing paper. However, it's easy enough to stick it down: mix a little PVA glue with water and brush it onto the area where the decal is to go, and it will stay put just fine.

 

Your real problem will be that transfers are usually printed in layers of different colours, so if you put it on upside-down you'll probably have it looking like a white blotch that perhaps has some colour shining through …

[SCC]

Hemal and Gurth have the right of it, reversed decals do work but there are some niggles to be aware of.

 

Below are two of my Brazen Claw models - they use a reversed Space Wolf decal for the Chapter icon and each showcases some of the potential issues:

 

http://www.fortressmonastery.iinet.net.au/gallery/bc_ts2/BCTac2-2.jpg

This Tactical Marine shows how hard it can be to get a reversed decal to sit properly even with many MicroSol/Set applications and much patience, often they just want to curl up the wrong way even with care, especially if the decal itself was printed a while ago. As Gurth says, you'll also need to paint over the decal itself (especially a white Sallies one) to get good solid coverage and you'll have to trim as much excess film as possible and overpaint the rest to prevent it 'silvering'.

 

http://www.fortressmonastery.iinet.net.au/gallery/bc_ts2/BCPlas.jpg

The plasma gunner shows one problem I've had with reversed decals - after a while (in this case 3 years) even decals that have been painted over then hand and then spray varnished can start to peel. Gurth PVA trick might solve that though, it's certainly worth trying as reversed decals that are just placed on and varnished (no overpaint, no trim, no MicroSol) are even more likely to peel.

 

All up, reversed decals can be done but they take a lot more time and effort to get right than 'right side down' ones and there are issues around longevity (if that's an issue for you).

[Hemal]

Erm - transfers don't actually use glue to bond with a surface - its a virtue of their thin film properties and the drawing of water from edges that leads to a really strong suction effect. If you thnk about it - you are actually washing the glue away when you dip it in water....

 

Use on a gloss finish, over microsol or microset and it shoud work fine.

[Gurth]

Transfers definitely have a glue layer — it sits between the transfer and the paper, and when you put the paper in water, the glue dissolves so the transfer comes off. Provided you don't leave it in the water for too long, enough of the glue will remain on the transfer that it will stick the thing to the model.

[Hemal]

No I understand that but that glue looks cack tbh under the transfer - but the main issue with reversing a transfer is that the carrier filem is a smooth layer whilst the reverse is printed upon and so is not smooth, so teh Van Der Waals forces do not adhere to the underlying surface as well.

 

Using a decal softener and setter is the best way to go. Long and short - you can do it, but just be a little better prepared when doing it.

[orbion]

Thanks for all the responses i'll give it a go and see what happens.

[Captain Psycho]

In applying BA blood drop decals to shoulder pads I've had multiple instances where after the decal was placed in water and seperated from the backing paper it may have flipped when I was taking it out of the water (I use a paint brush and sometimes it can be tough getting those slippery little suckers out of the water). If that's happened, and I'm not sure it has but it could have, I've had no problems thanks to my routine: I always paint the surface with Future Floor shine to give it a gloss surface, I prep the area just before applying the decal with microset to ease placement, press gently with a paper towel to remove moisture then then apply microsol.

 

 

I've never had any problems since I started applying decals that way whereas before I always had slivering. Again I'm not sure I haven't been lucky in those instances where I had trouble removing the decal from the water and maybe the decal always stayed right side up but I can't tell with those tac squad blood drop decals as there's no discernable facing.

[striker8]

Decals can be used either side up if you so desire. Be sure to do a test and soak one off to look at the back side, some like the IF decal is just a white disc from the back while others will be a mirror image of the front side.

 

The "glue" from the paper backing does help slightly( and I mean only slighly) and only when used right side up, but in the end if not protected with some form of clear coat they wiull still come off.

 

IF you do intend to use the decal flipped be sure the surface it will be applied to has been glossed to assure it's smooth. Decal solvent is a must since the two sides of the decal are not the same, the back is rougher and the solvent will smooth the decal back as well as " melt" it to the surface. And you should gloss over any decal, but if flipped this is a must or they will come off.